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Undisputed pride on Beacon Hill

The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial is hailed as one of the nation's most important monuments

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Updated: 7:43 PM EDT Sep 10, 2019

Undisputed pride on Beacon Hill

The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial is hailed as one of the nation's most important monuments

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Updated: 7:43 PM EDT Sep 10, 2019

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TIME. ♪ THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, HEROES OF HISTORY, LOCAL LANDMARKS, EVEN THE STATE FLAG FACE NEW SCRUTINY. DO THEY REFLECT TODAY’S VALUES? AS THE SOUTHWEST WITH CONFEDERATE STATUES, BOSTON WRESTLES WITH ITS OWN CONFLICTED SPACES. THIS LINCOLN MEMORIAL IN PARK SQUARE, A CONFEDERATE MONUMENT, TRIBUTES TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IN THE NORTH END AND A FICTIONAL WITCH IN SALEM. FANEUIL HALL, PAID FOR BY PROFITS OF THE SLAVE TRADE, IS NEXT. >> I’M A NATURAL PARK SERVICE RANGER. ANATHONY: ON BEACON HILL, THE MEMORIAL TO ROBERT GOULD SHAW AND THE 54TH REGIMENT, HAILED AS ONE OF THE NATION’S MOST IMPORTANT MONUMENTS. >> THIS IS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN REGIMENT RAISED DURING THE CIVIL WAR. ANTHONY: THE STATUE BARKS THE LOCATION WHERE THE REGIMENT MARCHED OFF TO WAR IN 18 63. >> ROBERT GOULD SHAW, GREW UP DOWN THE STREET, PART OF AN ABOLITIONIST FAMILY. ANTHONY: THE STORY OF THE 54TH INSPIRED THE OSCAR-WINNING FILM "GLORY." AND TODAY IT INSPIRES VISITORS AND LOCALS ALIKE. >> THE 54TH MEMORIAL IS IMPORTANT IN SO MANY WAYS. BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT. ANTHONY: NATURAL -- NATIONAL PARKS OF BOSTON SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL CREASY. >> IT WAS INTENTIONALLY PUT HERE IN ONE OF THE GREATEST PARKS, BOSTON COMMON, AND IT WAS PUT HERE TO BE ON THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL AND THE FREEDOM TRAIL. ANTHONY: TAKE A GOOD LOOK WHILE YOU CAN. THE MONUMENT UNVEILED IN 1897 WILL SOON UNDERGO A MAJOR RENOVATION, A JOINT EFFORT OF THE CITY, NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE, MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC ART. >> I AM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY TO CARE FOR THE PUBLIC GARDEN, BOSTON GARDEN -- BOSTON COMMON AND THE MALL. THE SHOP MEMORIAL IS AN AMAZING PIECE OF ART. THE FRIENDS RAISED 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO RESTORE THE MONUMENT AND SET UP AN ENDOWMENT FOR CARE. WATER HAS WORKED ITS WAY DOWN FROM THE TOP AND HAS BEEN DETERIORATING THE FOUNDATION UNDER THE BRONZE. >> THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HAD A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR PRESERVING NATIONAL, SIGNIFICANT SITES. THE SHOP MEMORIAL WAS ONE OF OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT GRANTS. >> WANT TO USE THE MONUMENT IS A PLATFORM FOR DIALOGUE. THE WHOLE QUESTION ABOUT MONUMENTS IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL. THIS MONUMENT, WE NEED TO LIFT UP. MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THE STORY OF THIS MONUMENT. ANTHONY: DURING CONSTRUCTION, A TEMPORARY INSTALLATION WILL TELL THE WHOLE STORY, UNFOLDING ON A 900 FOOT PICTORIAL SCRIM CREATED BY TWO PEOPLE FROM VISUAL DIALOGUE. >> THIS AREA NEEDS TO BE BLOCKED OFF FOR CONSTRUCTION. WE TOOK THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CONSTRUCTION FENCE WITH GRAPHICS TO TELL THE STORY OF THE MEMORIAL. THE QUOTE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS SETS THE STONE -- SETS THE TONE, WHY IS THIS MEMORIAL IN BOSTON? WE THOUGHT, WHAT WOULD BE INTERESTING IS HAVE THESE IMAGES OF THE ACTUAL SOLDIERS. THESE ARE 10 TYPES AND THE ORIGINS -- THESE ARE TINTIPES, AND THE ORIGINS OF PHOTOGRAPHY PARALLEL THE CIVIL WAR. WE ARE TAKING ARCHIVAL HISTORY AND GIVING THEM A COMPELLING, NARRATIVE SPIN. >> IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICES PEOPLE MADE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF BOSTON IN AMERICAN HISTORY. ANTHONY: THE LIFE-SIZE PANELS WILL ALIGN THIS SPACE ON THE COMMON. >> WE DO THESE PRINT OUTS TO GET A SENSE OF THE SCALE OF THIS. IF YOU ARE WALKING BY, IT GRABS YOUR ATTENTION. >> SOME THINGS YOU CAN SEE FROM A DISTANCE, SOMETHING’S UP CLOSE, SO IT HAS DIFFERENT DIALOGUES WITH THE PEOPLE INTERACTING WITH IT. ANTHONY: THE HOPE IS THAT WHEN THE RESTORED MONUMENT RETURNS, THERE WILL BE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT SIGNIFIES. >> SERVED AS A GLEAMING EXAMPLE OF THE COURAGE OF BLACK TROOPS. >> IN 1997, GENERAL COLIN POWELL CAME AND SPOKE AT THE MONUMENT AND SAID, I STAND ON THE SOLDIERS OF THE MEN BEHIND ME. IF IT WASN’T FOR THE 54TH, I WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE TALKING TO YOU TODAY. ♪ SHAYNA: THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO HER ON THE HERITAGE TRAIL WILL CONTINUE DURING RESTORATION. ANTHONY: PART OF THE RESTORATION IS THE PRESERVATION OF THE TWO ELM TREES ON OTHER SIDE OF THE MONUMENT. THE SCULPTOR PUT THEM THERE ON PURPOSE AND IT IS BELIEVED THOSE TREES ARE PLANTED BY JOHN HANCOCK IN THE 18TH CENTURY, WHEN HE LIVED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MONUMENT. SHAY

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Undisputed pride on Beacon Hill

The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial is hailed as one of the nation's most important monuments

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Updated: 7:43 PM EDT Sep 10, 2019

Take a good look while you can. The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial, unveiled in 1897, will soon undergo a major renovation, a joint effort of the City of Boston, National Park Service, Museum of African-American History and the Friends of the Public Garden. During construction, a temporary installation will tell the full story of the 54th regiment unfolding on a 900-foot pictorial scrim created by Fritz Klaetke and Susan Battista of Visual Dialogue.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Take a good look while you can. The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial, unveiled in 1897, will soon undergo a major renovation, a joint effort of the City of Boston, National Park Service, Museum of African-American History and the Friends of the Public Garden.

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During construction, a temporary installation will tell the full story of the 54th regiment unfolding on a 900-foot pictorial scrim created by Fritz Klaetke and Susan Battista of Visual Dialogue.